The Making of a SOLDIER
by Starherd
Summary: Cloud gets to spend some time alone with his idol, more or less. Onesided Cloud x Sephiroth


**Author's Note:** Disclaimer found below.

**Warnings:** Masturbation, and Cloud's legally underage (in the US anyhow), if that bothers you. ;-)

Beware the hero-worshipping yaoi

(if guy x guy isn't your thing, TURN BACK NOW).

**Explanation:** This fic was written for the Valentine's Day round in the YaoiChallenge community on livejournal. It's about as fluffy as I can make Sephiroth x Cloud... XD

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**The Making of a SOLDIER**

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It was still raining.

It was the rain that got to him the most, really. It never seemed to stop. It had been falling for weeks.

It had been the rain that had helped the enemy take them by surprise.

And now there was nobody else left but the two of them, and the forests were crawling with the enemy searching for them, and the rain wouldn't stop.

Cloud sat in the back of the cave, hugging his knees on the thick blankets that had once been several of his fellow SOLDIERs' bedrolls. It had been just the two of them for days now. Everyone else was dead.

His sole companion was tending the fire and placing a battered pot of water over it to heat. The cave had been someone's dwelling at some point, and the smoke was channeled away into its far reaches. They were lucky. With a Barrier spell over the entrance of the cave, they'd be safe.

As long as they stayed inside.

"Sir?" Cloud ventured, still timid even after days alone with him. "How long do you think it'll be before the reinforcements arrive?"

Those hypnotic eyes caught his as the General stood, finished with the fire. But Sephiroth looked away without responding.

Cloud felt the color rising to his cheeks. "I keep asking, don't I," he muttered. "I'm sorry, sir."

The General glanced at the mouth of the cave, then moved toward his subordinate, sitting down on the blankets next to him. "We may not last."

Cloud's mouth dropped open a little - that was a startling admission to hear from his commanding officer. If _he_ was worried, the situation was even more grim than he'd thought. "Sir, I -"

"Forgive me," Sephiroth cut him off, suddenly unable to meet the boy's eyes. "It's not my place to say such things, is it." The silver-haired man sighed, then turned back to him, crouching. "How's your leg doing?"

"It's fine, sir," Cloud said, so relieved at the change of subject that he lied even as his commander pushed up his pants leg. Dark red seeped through the bandages that wrapped the gash.

Sephiroth frowned, then turned and reached for what was left of their medical kit. "I'll change the dressing."

Cloud obediently held up his pants leg as the General tended to him, hissing through clenched teeth as the antiseptic was applied. The cut was healing, but it seemed to be taking forever. If only they hadn't used all their magic on fighting!

The cool, slender hands that moved over him were adequate distraction from the pain, however. As his commander wrapped new gauze around his lower leg, he took refuge in the slight touches of skin to skin, so uncommon as Sephiroth rarely removed his gloves. The General was a magnificent creature, powerful and ethereal at the same time; should they survive this, Cloud knew that he'd be the envy of every other SOLDIER, if not most of the world, simply because he'd _been_ here.

But what came next he didn't expect at all. The General finished and closed the near-empty medical kit, laying it aside - and then touched him. Not the encouraging grip on his shoulder that they'd occasionally shared before, but a shockingly gentle caress. His hand trailed across Cloud's cheek.

The elder seemed to catch himself, his icy green eyes widening a little as he suddenly pulled back. "Forgive me," he said again, turning away without any further elaboration.

Cloud sat staring at his commander's back, face slack with surprise. Never in his wildest dreams...

...Well, okay, maybe his wildest dreams...

No, he had to be making more out of this than it was. It had just been an unintentional casual contact, that was all.

Except that the way that Sephiroth had been looking at him... the half-lowered eyelids, the slightly parted lips...

Cloud watched his commander sorting through one of the packs, removing a couple of battered cups and such. The supplies were running low; this would probably be the last of the tea.

It seemed to take far too long for him to gather his courage, but finally, Cloud opened his mouth to speak. "S-"

"Almost done," Sephiroth said, apparently oblivious. Cloud snapped his mouth shut, and after a moment, his superior returned to the bedrolls, handing him a cup of tea and settling down next to him.

Both of them sat with their hands curled around the metal cups for warmth, sipping the tea and staring at the entrance of the cave. The tea was supposed to be calming, but Cloud doubted its effectiveness.

Outside, thunder suddenly boomed, and Cloud jumped. Sephiroth whipped about to face him. "Are you all right?"

The younger's cheeks went red. "I-I'm s-sorry, sir," he stammered. "It's just... cold. Yeah."

Sephiroth frowned for a moment, then seemed to reach a descision. He shifted closer, until their sides touched, and drew a blanket over their legs. His subordinate was too stunned to move.

"Try to relax," Sephiroth suggested, returning to his tea. "You'll only tire more quickly if you stay so tense."

Cloud's blush deepened, but he likewise went back to sipping the fragrant tea.

The thunder rolled again, but Cloud didn't jump this time so much as flinch. It made him think of the Summons that had decimated their troop.

"Are you still cold?" Sephiroth asked, turning to him again.

"No, sir," Cloud responded softly, deciding that hiding the truth was futile at this point. "I'm... nervous..."

The General silently sipped his tea again, watching from the corner of his eye.

"Sir," Cloud finally said, setting his empty mug aside. "We're... _not_ going to survive, are we?"

It was Sephiroth's turn to flinch. After a moment more of staring at the entrance of the cave, he turned to his companion. "I..." He seemed to be at a loss for words. "It seems unlikely." He set his own cup aside.

Staring at his feet, Cloud gathered his courage again. "S-sir, I want you to know, I -"

He never finished the sentence. Sephiroth suddenly reached around him, pulling him close, tilting his head back with one still-gloveless hand, lips seeking his.

With a startled gasp, Cloud opened his mouth, granting Sephiroth entrance. He shuddered under the onslaught, savoring the heat of his obsession's tongue, the bitter undertone of Mako in his saliva.

When Sephiroth broke the kiss, he gave a shuddering breath, eyes closed. "Sir..."

"Sephiroth."

Cloud's eyes flew open, and he stared his commander in the face. "I would have you use my name," Sephiroth murmured, half-commanding and half-hopeful. "Please... Cloud..."

Hearing that voice speak his name was a thrill that went straight to his groin. "Sephiroth," he breathed softly, leaning in again.

The kiss was longer this time, the hands more forceful. Cloud lay back, supported only by his arms wrapped around his General, obediently moving as directed. He spread his legs wide, allowing Sephiroth's hand to unfasten his pants and slip inside...

A loud banging on wood suddenly brought Cloud to attention. Someone was knocking on the door. "Cloud! You'll be late!"

Lying on his bed in his room, packed and ready to leave to join SOLDIER, Cloud stilled his movement and huffed in irritation. "I'm almost ready," he called. "Just give me a moment."

The doorknob began to turn. "Do you need any help, hon-"

"MOM! NO!" Cloud shouted. "I'll be down in a minute!"

"Oh, all right, dear. But hurry or you'll miss the ride."

Safe again at last, Cloud reluctantly zipped his pants and lay staring at the ceiling. He took several deep, calming breaths.

It didn't really matter, he decided. The future would undoubtedly be better than anything Cloud Strife could imagine, anyway.

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**Disclaimer: **Final Fantasy VII, its story, and characters are the property, copyright and trademark of Square Electronic Arts L.L.C., and no ownership or claim on said property, copyright or trademark is made or implied by their use in the work(s) of fan fiction presented here. This fan fiction constitutes a personal comment on the aforesaid properties pursuant to doctrines of fair use and fair comment. This fan fiction is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.


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